EFFECTS OF HIV/AIDS AMONG MEN, WOMEN AND YOUTH IN CROP PRODUCTION OF JEMA’A AND GIWA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study was conducted, to analyze the effects of HIV/AIDS among men, women and youth in crop production in Jema’a and Giwa local government areas of Kaduna state, Nigeria. Jema’a and Giwa were purposively selected due to the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and the youth and women are predominantly crop farmers. A sample size of 192 respondents was randomly and proportionately selected for the study. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit relevant data from the respondents. Percentages and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data. The results showed that women were 41.8% and youth58.2%, and 73.0% had secondary education status, about 70% of the respondents earned between N1,000.00 - N15,000.00 monthly with the mean earning of N12,595.1. The study established that about 84% of respondents agree that HIV/AIDS significantly affects their crops output and income at 5% level of significance. It was concluded that HIV/AIDS has significant economic effects on crops output and income of the respondents. It was recommended that, enlightenment campaign on abstinence should be intensified and use of condoms if abstinence is not possible should be the best alternative for this active stubborn group; provision of credit facilities and inputs should be directly delivered to the effected HIV/AIDS farmers in good time and legislation that can protect the land rights of women and children. This may help to improve the income levels of women who in a great measure contribute to crop production development in Nigeria.